Snubber for a sashless window



May 12, 1964 A. w. AHLGREN SNUBBER FOR A SASHLEISS WINDOW Filed March 15, 1962 MVZZMTOYZL I J CAXQI qlccflhl rem 1 4, 4M any v aw dl-rromsyf United States Patent 3,132,884 SNUBBER FOR A SASHLESS 0W Axel W. Ahlgren, Rockford, 111., assignor to Amerock Corporation, Rockford, ill, a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 179,444 4 Claims. (Cl. 292-79) This invention relates to snubbers for use with windows having sliding panes, and relates more particularly to snubbers for use with sashless windows of the type having a pane mounted directly in a frame to slide back and forth between an open position and a closed position. Such panes may be mounted to slide either to the right or to the left in closing, usually in grooves in the frame, and the snubber is mounted on the frame alongside the pane to press the pane laterally toward the frame on one side of the groove when the window is closed thereby to seal the window against the weather and prevent rattling.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive snubber of the above character which may be used without modification with either left-hand or right-hand windows.

A more specific object is to provide a snubber including an arm swingable into an extended position in the plane of the sliding pane when the latter is open and movable from the extended position in either direction, depending upon the direction of slidng of the pane, and thereafter spring pressed against the pane to seal the latter against the frame.

Another object is to provide a single simple spring for resisting movement of the arm in either direction out of the extended position and stressed as an incident to such movement to press the arm against the pane and seal the latter closed.

Still another object is to apply the spring pressure in a novel manner against the pane so that a relatively small force is capable of resisting substantially larger forces opposing the spring.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be come apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a window sealed by a snubber embodying the novel features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1 with the parts in different positions.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded prespective view of the snubber arm and spring shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in a snubber for use with a window of the sashless type including a rectangular glass pane 11 mounted directly in a frame 12 and slidable back and forth between an open position and a closed position in grooves 13 formed in the sill (not shown) and the header 14 of the frame to receive the upper and lower edges of the pane and guide the latter back and forth. Such windows usually include a second, stationary pane 15 overlapping one side edge 17 of the sliding pane when the window is closed, the pane 11 being slidable into a position alongside the pane 15 to open the window. Herein, the panes are vertically disposed and only the upper groove 13 and the head 14 of the frame are shown for purposes of illustration.

In the present instance, the stationary pane is mounted flush with the outer sides 18 of the grooves 13 in sockets 19 (FIGS. 2 and 3) in the frame and, in effect, is a fixed member of the frame. The illustrative window is a socalled right-hand window in which the sliding pane, when closed, is disposed on the right with its right-hand edge 20 pressed against an upright frame member (not shown) and its left-hand edge 17 overlapping the adjacent edge 21 of the fixed pane on the inner side thereof. Thus, the pane 11 is slidable to the left to open the window.

To prevent marring of the adjacent sides of the panes and facilitate back and forth sliding of the pane 11, the groove 13 is made wider than the thickness of the pane 11 and suitable means is provided for shifting the sliding pane inwardly as the window is opened thereby preventing rubbing contact between the two, panes. This means may take the form of a bolt 22 (FIG. 2) projected through the pane 11 adjacent its lower edge with the bolt head outside of the pane and operable to engage the inner side of the'station ary pane as the pane slides to the left from the closed position. Thus, the bolt head cams the sliding pane toward the inner side 23 of the groove (see FIG. 3). The snubber 10 presses the pane back toward the outer side 18 of the groove and against the overlapping portion of the pane 15 when the window is closed, thereby sealing the window tightly against the weather and preventing rattling of the panes. A knob 26 forming a grip for the sliding pane may be threaded 7 onto the inner end of the bolt 22.

;in construction and may be used without modification with either right-hand or left-hand windows.

To these ends, the snubber is adapted to be mounted along the inner side of the sliding pane when the latter is in the closed position and includes an arm 24 fulcrumed adjacent one end 25 on a case 27 to swing back and forth about a pivot 28 spaced from the plane of the sliding pane 11 a distance less than the length of the arm so that the free end portion 29 of the arm is swingable into a' predetermined extended position (FIG. 3) in the plane of the pane 11 when the latter is in the open position. Spring means is provided for urging the free end of the arm toward the extended position and, accordingly, against the closed pane with sufiicient force to seal the window closed, the spring means yieldably resisting swinging of the arm in either direction out of the extended position when the pane is open.

As the pane slides toward the closed position from either side of the member, the leading edge of the pane engages the arm and swings it out of the extended posifixed pane and the side 18 of the groove.

In the present instance, the case 27 is formed as a one-piece metal casting having a bottom wall 30, two end walls 31, and a side wall 32, the other side and the top being left open. Preferably, the case is mounted on the underside of the header 14 as shown in FIG. 1 by means of fasteners such as screws 33 driven into the header through holes in the case with the top of the case closed by the header and the open side of the case adjacent the window. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the snubber preferably is positioned adjacent the edge 21 of the sta tionary pane and intermediate the side edges 17 and 20 of the sliding pane when the latter is closed so that the pane is clear of the snubber in the open position for re- 'moval from the frame in a manner well known in the with a cylindrical sleeve 34 on one side adjacent the end 25. The hole 35 through the sleeve extends through the 3 and is dimensioned to telescope over the stud with a close fit thereby to fulcrum the arm on the case, preferably with the free end of the sleeve bearing on the bottom wall, 3% around the stud and spacing the arm from the wall (see FIG. 3). Initiall the stud is made longer than the hole to extend through the sleeve and project above the arm, and the free end of the stud is riveted to form ahead 37 bearing against a washer 38 encircling the stud above the arm and thereby retaining the arm on the Stud.

A roller 3 is carried on the free end of the arm to eliminate rubbing contact between the arm and the sliding pane as the pane slides closed. For this purpose, a leg 40 formed integrally with the arm is offset below and parallels the free end portion of the arm and the roller is journaled between the leg and the arm on a pin .-1 fast at its opposite ends in the leg and the arm to define an axis preferably parallel to the axis of the sleeve 34 and the pivot 28. When the arm is extended, the roller is disposed in the plane of the pane 11 as shown in FIG. 3 in position to engage the edge 20 thereof as the pane slides closed and then roll along the inner side of the pane.

in this instance, the spring means for yieldably resisting swinging of the arm out of the extending position comprises a torsion spring 42 wrapped intermediate its ends around the sleeve 34 and having two legs 43 and 44 crossed at 45 (PEG. 4) and extending along opposite sides of the arm toward the free end thereof. Formed integral ly with the arm and projecting downwardly therefrom between the legs adjacent their free ends is a lug 47 engageable with one of the spring legs in each direction of rotation of the arm. Another lug 48 integral with the case 27 projects upwardly between the spring legs, this lug being positioned to lie beneath the arm and inwardly of the lug 47 when the arm is in the extended position.

With this arrangement, the arm lug 47 engages the spring leg 43 and swings the latter clockwise about the sleeve as the arm swings clockwise as shown in FIG. 2, while the other lug 48 abuts the leg 44 and prevents clockwise swinging thereof. Accordingly, the spring legs are spread apart to wind up the spring and urge the arm back toward the extended position. When the snubber is used with a left-hand Window and the arm swings in the opposite direction as the window is closed, the arm lug 47 engages the leg 44 and swings it away from the other leg 43 which is held stationary by the lug 48 so that the spring is stressed to urge the arm back in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, the spring 42 resists swinging of the arm in both directions and is stressed by swinging in either direction to urge the arm back toward the extended position regardless of the direction in which the pane slides in closing.

It will be seen that the free edges 49 of the end walls 31 provide stops for limiting swinging of the arm in either direction. Preferably, the positions of the pivot 28 and the edges 49 are correlated to allow the arm to swing through an arc of approximately 90 degrees. The spacing of the case from the plane of the closed pane 11 determines the are through which the arm actually swings and, therefore, determines the amount of stressing of the spring 42 and the force exerted thereby when the window is closed. While the force applied by the spring increases as the arm swings further from its extended position, the length of the arm and spacing of the pivot from the plane of the sliding pane preferably are correlated so that the arm is displaced angularly from the extended position through a very short are, for example, an arc of approximately five degrees as shown in FIG. 2, when the Window is closed. The spring is prestressed to exert a substantial force when the arm is in this position.

Thus, forces applied from the outside and tending to break the seal are resisted by a spring force applied against a lever arm almost paralleling the direction of the opening force. Consequently, a small component of the applied opening force directly opposes the spring force, and a much larger component of the opening force is applied longitudinally of the arm and is absorbed by the pivot. As a result, the spring and the arm elfectively resist opening forces substantially greater than the force exerted by the spring.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the snubber 10 may be used without modification with either left-hand or right-hand windows and is equally effective in either application. Further, a single, simple spring 42 resists movement of the arm 24 in either direction from the extended position and applies a lateral force on the close pane, whether it is of the right-hand or the left-hand type, sufficiently great to insure tight sealing of the pane against the fixed pane and the side of the groove even against opening forces substantially greater than the force applied by the spring.

i claim as my invention:

1. For use with a window having a pane slidahle in a frame between an open position and a closed position,

the combination of, a case, a pivot on said case, an arm fulcrumed adjacent one end on said pivot, means for mounting said case on said frame adjacent one side of the paae when the latter is in said closed position and with said pivot spaced a predetermined distance from the pane, said arm being longer than said predetermined distance and swingable about said pivot into a predetermined position wherein the free end portion of the arm is disposed in the plane of the pane when the latter is open, a torsion spring wrapped intermediate its end about said pivot and having two legs extending along said arm when the latter is in said predetermined position, said legs being spaced apart laterally of said arm, a first lug fast on said arm for movement therewith and disposed between said legs to engage the latter alternately upon swinging of the arm in opposite directions about said pivot, and a second lug fast on said case and disposed between said legs when said arm is in said predetermined position, said second abutment engaging the leg not engaged by said first lug when said arm swings in either direction whereby said lugs spread said legs and stress said spring to urge the arm back to ward said predetermined position and against the pane when the latter is closed.

2. For use with a window having a pane slidable in a frame between an open position and a closed position, the combination of, a case, a pivot on said case, an arm fulerumed adjacent one end on said pivot, means for mounting said case on said frame adjacent one side of the pane when the latter is in said closed position and with said pivot spaced a predetermined distance from the pane, said arm being longer than said predetermined distance and swingable about said pivot into an extended position wherein the free'end portion of the arm is generally perpendicular to and disposed in the plane of the pane when the latter is open, and being swingable in both directions from said extended position, and spring means acting between said case and said arm and yieldably resisting swinging of the arm in each direction out of said predetermined position whereby said pane engages the arm and swings the latter out of said predetermined position upon sliding of the pane toward the arm from either direction, and said arm thereafter presses said pane laterally away from said case and tightly against the frame on the other side of said plane.

3. The combination with a window frame and a pane slidable in said frame between open and closed positions,

of a snubber comprising a case mounted on said frame adjacent the plane of said pane, said pane having an edge end portion of the arm in the plane of said pane when the latter is in said open position, the length of said arm being correlated with said predetermined distance to produce swinging of the arm through a short are out of said extended position as said pane is closed and said edge passes said snubber whereby the force of said spring is applied to said pane through said arm with the latter nearly perepndicular to said plane.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which said arm is swingable in both directions from said extended position, and said spring means yieldably resists swinging of the arm in each direction whereby said snubber is operable regardless of the direction from which said edge approaches the arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,369,689 Meserole Feb. 22, 1921 2,047,047 Wirth July 7, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,267 Great Britain 1910 608,570 Canada Nov. 15, 1960 

3. THE COMBINATION WITH A WINDOW FRAME AND A PANE SLIDABLE IN SAID FRAME BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, OF A SNUBBER COMPRISING A CASE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME ADJACENT THE PLANE OF SAID PANE, SAID PANE HAVING AN EDGE MOVABLE BACK AND FORTH PAST SAID SNUBBER DURING MOVEMENT OF THE PANE BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS, A PIVOT ON SAID CASE GENERALLY PARALLELING SAID PLANE AND SPACED A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE THEREFROM, AN ARM SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND FULCRUMED AT ONE END ON SAID PIVOT, AND SPRING MEANS URGING SAID ARM TOWARD AN EXTENDED POSITION GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PLANE TO HOLD THE ARM IN SAID EXTENDED POSITION WITH THE FREE END PORTION OF THE ARM IN THE PLANE OF SAID PANE WHEN THE LATTER IS IN SAID OPEN POSITION, THE LENGTH OF SAID ARM BEING CORRELATED WITH SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE TO PRODUCE SWINGING OF THE ARM THROUGH A SHORT ARC OUT OF SAID EXTENDED POSITION AS SAID PANE IS CLOSED AND SAID EDGE PASSES SAID SNUBBER WHEREBY THE FORCE OF SAID SPRING IS APPLIED TO SAID PANE THROUGH SAID ARM WITH THE LATTER NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID PLANE. 